TY - JOUR
T1 - The Swab, the Drip, or the Meat? Comparison of Microbiological Sampling Methods in Vacuum-Packed Raw Beef
AU - Martínez-Moreno, Aracely
AU - Chávez-Martínez, America
AU - Corry, Janet E.
AU - Helps, Christopher R.
AU - Reyes-Villagrana, Raúl. A.
AU - Tirado Gallegos, Juan. M.
AU - Santellano-Estrada, Eduardo
AU - Rentería-Monterrubio, Ana L.
A2 - Roy, Denis
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 by the authors.
PY - 2025/1/14
Y1 - 2025/1/14
N2 - Historically, there has been a concern for the detection and enumeration of microorganisms in foods, and numerous methods have been developed to determine their microbiological conditions. The present study aimed to compare the numbers of microbes recovered with three sampling methods: drip, excision, and swabbing in vacuum-packed beef. The sampling methods were evaluated in terms of the viable numbers of Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Brochrothrix thermosphacta, Salmonella spp., and yeasts and moulds (Y&M). The numbers of B. thermosphacta, Salmonella spp., Enterobacteriaceae, LAB, and M&Y recovered with the drip method were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those from the other two methods. Regarding excision and swabbing, the recovery of B. thermosphacta and Enterobacteriaceae was higher (p < 0.05) with the excision method than swabbing, while there were no statistical differences (p > 0.05) between both methods for Salmonella spp., LAB, and Y&M. In conclusion, the drip method can recover up to two logarithms more than the other techniques in vacuum-packed meat; hence, it should be considered when designing and implementing sampling systems for the meat industry.
AB - Historically, there has been a concern for the detection and enumeration of microorganisms in foods, and numerous methods have been developed to determine their microbiological conditions. The present study aimed to compare the numbers of microbes recovered with three sampling methods: drip, excision, and swabbing in vacuum-packed beef. The sampling methods were evaluated in terms of the viable numbers of Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Brochrothrix thermosphacta, Salmonella spp., and yeasts and moulds (Y&M). The numbers of B. thermosphacta, Salmonella spp., Enterobacteriaceae, LAB, and M&Y recovered with the drip method were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those from the other two methods. Regarding excision and swabbing, the recovery of B. thermosphacta and Enterobacteriaceae was higher (p < 0.05) with the excision method than swabbing, while there were no statistical differences (p > 0.05) between both methods for Salmonella spp., LAB, and Y&M. In conclusion, the drip method can recover up to two logarithms more than the other techniques in vacuum-packed meat; hence, it should be considered when designing and implementing sampling systems for the meat industry.
KW - meat microbiology
KW - vacuum-packed meat
KW - drip
KW - swabbing
KW - excision
KW - microbial sampling
U2 - 10.3390/microorganisms13010159
DO - 10.3390/microorganisms13010159
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 39858928
SN - 2076-2607
VL - 13
JO - Microorganisms
JF - Microorganisms
IS - 1
M1 - 159
ER -